Device for dispensing strip material



June 27, 1944.

A. s. PINCKNEY DEVICE FOR DISPENSING STRIP MATERIAL Filed July '7, 1945 .AETHUE .SHA/cKA/Fg INVENTOR. Z!

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 27, 1944 Arthur S. Pinckney, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 7, 1943, Serial N0. 493,765

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to an improved device for dispensing strip material such as, for example, gummed paper or fabric in strip form, adhesive tape, masking tape, Scotch tape, and any other ribbon-like material which may be used for masking, as a wrapping or sealing means, or an edging by stores, manufacturers, hospitals, etc. v Large quantities of strip material are employed for sealing, masking, wrapping and other purposes. Such ribbon-like materials as, for example, any of the strips bearing a pressure-setting adhesive, are generally supplied in rolls.

Dispensing holders for such roll material .have

been available heretofore but inmost instances difllculty has been experienced and much time has been lost in attempting to grasp the end of the strip material from the roll and in cutting it.

The present invention relates to an improved dispensing device from which a loose end of the strip material extends at all times so that it may be readily grasped. Means have also been provided for holding the tape as the cutting operation or movement is initiated and performed so that excessive quantities of tape are not liberated from the supply roll and the tape is automatically placed under tension between the supply roll and the end of the tape so as to permit the cutting operation to be carried out effectively. In the preferred form of the device, the means .for holding the tape are operated by" movement of the free end of the tape. I

' Generally stated, therefore, the device of the present invention comprises means for holding one or more rolls of strip material and means operable, by raising the strip material into cutting relation with a cutting knife for holding the strip material against longitudinal movement during cutting.

The device of the present invention may also include a knife guard pivotally carried in front of the cutting knife and movable by raising the strip material into cutting relation with the knife so that the operator is guarded against accidental contact with the knife.

Although the device is particularly adapted for use in dispensing strip material provided with an adhesive which need not be activated with water or a solvent, the device may also be used in dispensing anyother strip material whether provided with an adhesive or not.

An object of the present invention, therfore, is to disclose and provide an improved form of device for dispensing strip material.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide means for dispensing strip material which includes means for holding the strip material against longitudinal movement during cutting operations.

Afurther object of the invention is to disclose and provide a simple, inexpensive and efllcient form of construction for dispensing devices.

These and other objects, uses and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an exemplary form in which the means of the present invention are embodied.

rail 6.

In the appended drawing, which illustrates such embodiment- Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, taken along the plane IV-IV of Fig. 3.

The device illustrated may include a base I and end panels 2 and 3. The end panels may be set into grooves formed in the upper portion of the base I. The device illustrated is adapted to act as a dispenser for ribbon-like materials differing in width and includes the partitions d and 5 which may also be firmly fastened to the base by being set into suitable longitudinally extending grooves formed in such base.

It is to be understood, however, that other means of construction may be employed. The upper front portion of the device may be provided with a knife rail i'connecting the upper forward ends of the side panels 2 and 3. A removable knife blade or cutting bar i may be removably connected to this knife rail. A pivoted guard 8 may be attached to the side panels 2 and 3 and in its normal position cover the lower or cutting edge of the knife I carried by the knife In order to facilitate the insertion of fresh rolls of strip material, the inner opposing surfaces of the side panels and partitions may be.

- ing the others and the weight of the bobbin and its roll firmly holds the roll in dispensing position, once such roll is inserted into the dispenser.

Positioned between the cutting knife I and each of the feeding rolls, means are provided for holding strip material against longitudinal movement whenever the strip material is raised into cutting relation with the knife. Such means may comprise a pivoted rocker, generally indicated at l1, mounted for pivotal movement about a pin or shaft l8 connecting the two side panels 2 and 3.

The rear portion of the rocker l'I (facing the supply roll) may include the holding finger i8 whereas the front part of the rocker (facing the knife 1) may include a guide 20. Limit means, such as a transversely extending stationary bar 2|, may be provided for the purpose of limiting the movement of the rocker H. A stationary hold member, such as a transversely extending bar 22, may be adapted to cooperate with the holding finger IS in order to grasp and hold the strip material I5, from the supply roll I5, against the bar 22.

It is to be understood that one of the abovedescribed means, such as the rocker I1, is positioned in cooperative relation to each of the supply rolls carried by the device. Strip material such as the strip 15', is fed'beneath the rocker I1 and between the holding finger l9 and the hold bar 22 and then through the guide 20 so as to leave a short length of strip material free beneath the knife 1. When it is desired to tear off an appropriate length of strip material or tape, this free end is grasped with the fingers and the strip is pulled out until the desired length has been exposed, whereupon the strip is then raised to bring it into cutting relation with the knife I. Upward movement of the strip raises the knife guard 8 into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig.4 and simultaneously actuates the rocker l'I, causing the holding finger l9 to hold the strip against the bar 22. The cutting operation can thus take place effectively by a slight transverse movement of the strip against the knife edge 'I and without any further longitudinal feeding of the strip. Longitudinal motion of the strip is prevented by the pressure of the holding finger IQ of the rocker against the strip material and the holding bar 22.

As soon as the cutting operation is completed, a short length of tape is left available for the next user, this short length of tape extending beyond the guide 20 of the rocker H.

The rocker I1 is preferably positioned at a slightly lower level than the level of the cutting edge of the knife 1. The rocker I! may be a single stamping, upturned lugs or wings acting as brackets or bearings for the pivot shaft I 8, downturned lugs forming the guide 20. The guide 20 prevents undue lateral motion of the strip material. Suitable spacers may be positioned between adjacent rockers mounted upon the same rocker shaft.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific form of apparatus described and that numerous changes may be made in the outward appearance and design of the device as well as in the materials from which the device is constructed, its proportion method of assembly, etc.

Those. skilled in the art will observe that. the feeding device of the present invention permits a wrapper or user to obtain a desired length of adhesive tape, ribbon, paper or other strip material by the use of only one hand, the withdrawal of the desired length of strip material as well as the cutting oif operation being capable of performance in a normal and ready manner without waste movement and while the other hand of the operator is occupied in holding a package or parts to which the tape is to be applied.

The device is of great utility not only in industrial plants but also in hospitals, stores, photographic studios, paint shops and wherever strip material is employed in appreciable quantities.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing ribbon-like materials, including: a base, means for holding a roll of material on said base, a fixed cutting knife lying in a plane substantially transverse to material from said roll and perpendicular thereto when the material is brought into cutting relation therewith, and a rocker bar between ,said knife and roll of material, said rocker bar being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the length of strip material from said roll, and including a holding finger and a stationary hold member in operative relation to.

the holding finger of the rocker bar, and limit means for limiting the movement of the rocker bar, the end of the rocker bar being spaced from the cutting knife and at a slightly lower level, whereby strip material from said roll may extend between the holding finger and hold member and through the guide and be held against the hold member when the strip is raised into cutting position against the knife.

3. A device for dispensing tape comprising: a base, means for holding a roll of pressure adhesive tape on said base, a fixed cutting knife lying in a plane substantially transverse'to tape from said roll and perpendicular thereto when the tape is brought into cutting relation therewith, a rocker bar between said knife and roll of tape, said rocker bar being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the length of tape from said roll and including a holding finger extending toward the roll of tape. a stationary hold member in operative relation to the holding finger of the rocker bar, and limit means for limiting the movement of the rocker bar, whereby tape from said roll may extend between the holding finger and hold member and be held against the hold member when the tape is raised into cutting position against the knife.

4. A device for dispensing pressure adhesive tape comprising: a supporting base, means for rotatably holding a roll of pressure adhesive tape on said base; a stationary cutting knife extending transversely of length of ,tape from said roll, said knife being spaced from the axis of the roll and adapted to come into cutting engagement with the outer and non-adhesive surface of the tape; a rocker bar between said knife and roll of tape, said rocker bar being pivotally mounted upon an axis .transverseto length of tape from bar between said axis and cutting knife being her and press the tape against the hold member spaced from the cutting knife; limit means for during cutting, the space between the end of the limiting the movement of the rocker bar; and a rocker bar and knife causing a short length of stationary hold member in operative relation to tape to extend beyond the rockerbar at the comthe holding finger whereby the holding finger 5 pletion ofacutting operation. may contact the outer surface of tape extending ARTHUR S. PINCKNEY. from the roll between the finger and hold mem- 

